Method and device for processing graphic information located on surfaces of postal articles

ABSTRACT

Disclosed herein are a method and device for processing graphic information located on surfaces of postal articles. Graphic information is detected in one or more processing stations and transmitted to an image processing unit where it is further processed.

The invention relates to a method for processing mailpieces, wherebygraphic information present on the mailpieces is detected and evaluated.

The invention also relates to a device that is suitable for carrying outthe method.

The invention is based on the objective of carrying out the processingof the graphic information reliably and at a speed that is suitable forlarge-scale operations in mail centers.

According to the invention, this objective is achieved in that thegraphic information present on the surface of the mailpieces is detectedin several processing stations, transmitted to an image processing unitand further processed by the image processing unit.

Another increase in the speed of the processing of the graphicinformation can advantageously be achieved in that the graphicinformation present on the surface of the mailpieces is first evaluatedlocally, in that it is ascertained whether the graphic informationdiffers from the expected graphic information and in that, if theascertained graphic information differs from the expected graphicinformation, the ascertained graphic information is transmitted to acentral image processing unit.

It is especially advantageous for the mailpieces to be sorted as afunction of the determined graphic information.

The graphic information present on the mailpieces is preferably alsoused for other applications, for example, in order to achieve a fast andreliable addressing of the mailpieces.

Another advantageous improvement of the invention is characterized inthat the payment made for the mailpieces is checked by comparing thegraphic information present on the mailpieces to the expected graphicinformation.

In order to further increase the efficiency of this method, it isadvantageous for the checking procedure to ascertain whether themailpieces have an expected payment to be performed in two stages,whereby first of all, the graphic information present on the mailpiecesis compared to the expected graphic information locally in the area ofthe processing machines, and for the graphic information of themailpieces in which differences between the existing graphic informationand the expected graphic information were ascertained in the localprocessing station to undergo another comparison between the ascertainedgraphic information and the expected graphic information in the centralimage processing unit.

Mailpieces having different postage values can be processed in that thegraphic information present on the surfaces of the mailpieces isassociated with one or more expected types of postage and in that thechecking procedure is carried out in reading devices that arespecialized for the different franking modalities.

Here, it is especially advantageous for the graphic information to beassociated with the reading devices by the central image processingunit.

Examples of the presented specialized reading devices are devices thatcan ascertain the coded data contained in the graphic information bydecrypting the code and that can compare this with other data. Forexample, such specialized reading devices can serve to detect codedinformation contained in digital postage indicia.

Such reading devices are examples of image processing stations indevices that are suitable for carrying out the method.

An especially suitable device for processing mailpieces with severalprocessing machines for the mailpieces, whereby the processing machinescontain means for detecting graphic information present on themailpieces, is characterized in that the means for detecting the graphicinformation are connected to at least one means for processing thegraphic information in such a way that the means for processing thegraphic information can process the graphic information of severalprocessing machines.

Additional advantages, special features and practical refinements of theinvention ensue from the subclaims and from the following presentationof preferred embodiments.

In the embodiment presented below, a processing center for mailpieces,for example, a mail center or shipment center, has a central imageprocessing unit. This embodiment is especially advantageous since itallows the most effective possible use of computing capacity while usinga small volume of data transmissions between the various computer units.

However, the invention is not limited to the examples presented. Forexample, a processing center for mailpieces can contain several centralimage processing units or else a central processing unit can process thegraphic information from several mail centers or shipment centers.

In the following example, the image processing system with othercomponents is connected to a local computer network within a mailcenter.

The image processing system has a connection to the appertaining imageprocessing machines, especially to the address reading machines or tothe video coding stations.

In the case being presented here, the image processing system serves toprocess mailpiece images that could not be successfully read by theprimary readers of the image processing machines. As an alternative, itis essentially possible to process the mailpiece images of all primaryreaders with the central image processing unit. For example, thisprocessing can be carried out independently of the reading result of theprimary readers.

The image processing system receives the graphic information that ispresent on the mailpieces and preferably also accompanying informationfrom the image processing machines.

An especially fast and reliable processing of the mailpieces can beachieved in that the accompanying information contains results of one ormore checking steps for the mailpieces.

The graphic information present on the mailpieces can be processedsequentially as well as in parallel.

In particular, it is advantageous to carry out the method in such a waythat existing image processing capacities are utilized as efficiently aspossible by an effective distribution of the image processing tasksamong various image processing units.

In the image processing system being presented here, the local imageprocessing units that are connected to the processing machines functionas primary readers and the specialized reading units function assecondary readers. However, it is likewise possible for the imageprocessing units of other processing machines to function as secondaryreaders. In this manner, the momentary available processing capacity ofthe image processing devices is utilized.

Such an approach is especially suitable for a rapid adaptation of theimage processing capacities to special circumstances during operations.For example, in case of a malfunction of mechanical components of a mailprocessing machine, its image processing capacity can be utilized by theother image processing machines so that, even during operationalfailures, the processing of the mailpieces is hindered to the smallestextent possible.

Through the measures presented, the image processing operation can becarried out quickly, efficiently and reliably.

Preferably, the image processing operation comprises the followingsteps:

First of all, the graphic information present on the mailpieces isdetected, for example, by means of one or more sensors and/or by acamera.

If the information is not already acquired in digital form, then adigitalization of the graphic information is advantageous.

Subsequently, the graphic information undergoes one or more imageprocessing steps.

The image processing steps can comprise an evaluation of the graphicinformation as well as a systematic transmission of the graphicinformation to an image processing unit that is specialized and/or onethat has free processing capacity.

Therefore, the term image processing, or image processing unit, is notto be understood in any limiting manner whatsoever. In particular, itcomprises the transformation of the graphic information into additionalgraphic information, for example, its conversion into another format,the transmission of graphic information and/or the evaluation ofadditional data that is contained in the graphic information or elsethat can be obtained from the graphic information, such as the readingof a recipient address or the decrypting of coded data contained in thegraphic information.

Moreover, the term image processing also comprises the features that areoccasionally designated in the realm of image processing as imageinterpretation. This encompasses, for example, the decrypting ofrecipient addresses by reading the graphic information indicating therecipient address (for example, in handwriting).

Preferably, the breakdown of the various image processing steps amongvarious image processing units as a function of the specification ofeach image processing unit and/or the free capacity of the imageprocessing units.

For example, the mailing sequence for mailpieces that contain digitalpostage indicia can be carried out as follows:

In a first image processing unit, which is preferably associated withone of the processing devices for mailpieces, first of all, a separateprocess routine checks whether the local image processing unit hassufficient processing capacity for processing the graphic informationpresent on the mailpiece.

If this is not the case, then the graphic information is transmitted toanother image processing unit that has free processing capacity.

Even in those cases where the image processing unit that is associatedwith the processing machine for the mailpiece has a capacity that issufficient for processing the image data, the transmission of thedetected graphic information is advantageous for certain mailpieces.

The transmission of the graphic information is especially advantageouswhen the graphic information partially or completely matches a specificpostage indicium. In particular, such a transmission is advantageouswhen the graphic information matches a specific franking modality, forexample, a sender franking or a digital franking.

The image data of such mailpieces is transmitted to the readers that arespecialized for the various franking modalities of sender franking anddigital postage indicia (PC-franking).

If the presence of such a type of postage is recognized, theappertaining checking steps are carried out.

For example, the sender franking reader, as an example of a specializedreading device, receives the mailpiece image from the central imageprocessing unit.

The sender franking reader subsequently searches for a sender frankingwithin an expected franking zone. The imprint of the sender frankingpreferably consists of three parts among which the sender frankingreader recognizes the postage indicium.

Preferably, these are the payment stamp imprint recognized by thestamping machine, or the date stamp imprint and the additional field forsender information and advertising.

The sender franking reader recognizes the payment stamp imprint in itsentirety and identifies it on the basis of one or more suitable graphicsymbols, for example, a Post Horn contained in the payment stamp.

Subsequently, the sender franking reader reads the identification of thepayment stamp and the imprinted payment amount.

In case the franking stamp imprint cannot be read or does not match anexpected stamping imprint, a warning report is generated.

Such a warning report can preferably be in the form of a suitablepayment assurance code; for example, as a so-called payment assurancecoding, it can indicate a possible reason to suspect forgery.

Examples of such a payment assurance coding is the information that theidentification or the postage indicium are not readable.

With the use of digital postage indicia, encrypted informationcontained, for example, in the postage indicium is compared to theunencrypted information present on the appertaining mailpiece.

In case of deviations, for example, in case the mailpiece contains arecipient address that does not match the encrypted addresses containedin the digital postage indicium, the mailpiece in question is likewiseprovided with a payment assurance code.

The mailpieces provided with such a payment assurance code can beprocessed by suitable additional checking steps and/or systematicallydiverted from the mailing sequence.

The image processing method presented here is especially suitable forsuch use in a payment assurance system but it can also be used for amore effective control of the processing of the mailpieces.

1. A method for processing mailpieces in an area of a mail processingstation, the method comprising the steps of: (a) detecting graphicinformation present on a surface of a mailpiece, the informationcomprising postage type; (b) examining the information; (c) transmittingthe information to an image processing unit; and, (d) checking the typeof postage.
 2. The of claim 1, wherein step (c) further comprisesreading the information with at least one available, specialized reader.3. (Canceled).
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) furthercomprises (i) ascertaining whether the detected graphic informationdiffers from the expected graphic information, and (ii) transmitting theascertained graphic information that differs from the expected graphicinformation to a central image processing unit.
 5. The method of claim4, wherein the expected graphic information comprises paymentinformation.
 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the checking step (d)further comprises ascertaining whether a mailpiece has an expectedpayment by comparing the graphic information present on the mailpiecesto the expected graphic information, locally in the area of the mailprocessing station, and when differences exist, further comparing theascertained graphic information to the expected graphic information witha specialized reader.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein a mailprocessing station carries out the transmitting step (c) and thetransmitting step (c) further comprises transmitting accompanyinginformation to the image processing unit.
 8. The method of claim 7,wherein the accompanying information comprises results ascertained by athe mail processing station in one or more checking steps for themailpiece.
 9. The method of claim 1 further comprising sorting themailpieces as a function of the detected graphic information.
 10. Amethod for processing mailpieces in several mail processing stations,the method comprising the steps of: (a) detecting, in each of theseveral mail processing stations, graphic information present on asurface of the mailpieces; (b) transmitting the information to an imageprocessing unit; (c) processing the information with an image processingunit; (d) comparing the graphic information present on the mailpieces toexpected graphic information, and; (e) ascertaining whether themailpieces have an expected payment by (i) comparing the graphicinformation present on the mailpieces to the expected graphicinformation, locally in the area of the processing stations, todetermine differences and, when differences exist, (ii) furthercomparing the ascertained graphic information to the expected graphicinformation in a central image processing unit.
 11. A device forprocessing mailpieces, the device comprising: a several mail processingstations each comprising a detector capable of detecting graphicinformation present on a surface of a mailpiece; and, (b) at least oneimage processing unit capable of associating the graphic informationwith an expected type of postage and a transmitter capable oftransmitting the graphic information to a specialized reader. whereineach station is connected to at least one image processing unit.